Life Away From Life

What is Bicycle Travel?

2012-04-05T01:34:00.002-07:00

The mountain will tell me when I am old

2012-01-26T04:14:00.000-08:00

by Paulo Coelho on January 25, 2012

I have chosen a mountain to define my limits. In 1989 (I was just over 40yrs and I had already published The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage in Brasil), I was on my second sacred pilgrimage in the Pyrenees. And I saw a mountain in the distance called Pic du Gez and I said, ‘okay, I have nothing to do today, so I’m going to climb that peak’.

First, it was very difficult to get close to the base – from a distance it looked so easy. When I finally arrived at the bottom, I had about five hours to climb about 2,000m. Not a big deal. So I started climbing, and I got lost. I knew the peak, but I had no water, no food, I had nothing. Eventually, I made it to the top and looked around. It was summer. There was no snow, it was barren.

It looked like the moon and I seriously thought, ‘I don’t know my way back. I can’t take the same route that I took to get here’. I spent nearly four hours climbing and I had no energy for the descent (which is more difficult than the ascent). So I sat down, and my first decision was that I wasn’t going to smoke – I needed to preserve all my energy.

As I looked around, I saw a city in the distance and I said ‘I’m going to that city’.

And again, it seems easy to navigate when you see something like that in the distance. So I started my descent, heading towards the city, but soon after I began I could no longer see the city anymore. I said, ‘my God, I may die here’. And then I thought ‘well, that’s not so bad. I die on a mountain. Winter will come, my body will disappear and I will become a legend’.

Eventually, I made my way to the city, but I couldn’t sleep that night. My body was completely tense. I had gone beyond my limit.

I called my wife Christina the next day and said, ‘yesterday, I was lost in a mountain, I almost died’.

And she said, ‘okay Paulo, great, but don’t call me very often because our telephone bill is getting very high’. And I’m thinking, ‘oh my God, I almost died and here she is talking about my telephone bill because I was always calling collect’ (laughter).

After this experience, I decided that this mountain would tell me when I get old.

So once a year, I return to climb this mountain. One day, I will be unable to climb it and when that day comes, it will be a landmark moment, a turning point, telling me that I can no longer overstretch myself that way and that I need to find something else. I will find something else.

So this mountain is a symbol for me.

Kerala Backwaters Cycling 2011-12

2012-01-23T22:47:00.000-08:00

A thin strip of land between backwaters
& the ocean - Chavara, Kerala

Kerala has beautiful countryside. Riding a bicycle past lush-green palm-groves strewn between emerald backwaters on one hand and turquoise-blue Arabian Sea on the other was one of the best choices we (Prateek, I & few other friends) made for celebrating the ‘New Year’. Not to forget the clean, speck-less, white sandy beaches for taking a dip whenever we wished, which happened to be quite often.

Devi Puram Beach, near Mayannad

Early morning at a deserted
seashore near Allepey

'Holy' Backwaters - Chavara

“People can take everything away from you except memories” … Memories of my very first bicycle tour with Prateek (One can almost call it cross-country) in the backwater area in the year 2010 are still so vivid in my mind. Sense of adventure of the unknown rising way above apprehensions, moments of joy, excitement, as well as that of frustration, shared with equal honesty within the team, eagerness to capture as much beauty as we can on our cameras in the very little time … it’s all as lucid in my mind as the crystal clear seabed of ‘Devi Puram’ beach.

Devi Puram Beach

Devi Puram Beach,
near Mayannad

I would never forget the sight of those long stretches of clean white sand around Mayannad area, against turquoise oceanic background with hardly a couple of fishermen here & there. We could not believe our eyes! It was enchanting, inviting … these shores were out of the blues, untouched, never visited by tourists; they looked like being preserved by the fishermen and I hope they remain as sanctified for the coming years as we saw them.

Morning action at a beach on the way to Varakala

More than a year later, the essence of each and every small ride is still afresh. Finer moments of achievement, childlike joy of smaller things, decisions gone bad, togetherness, disappointment … altogether made it a perfect tour. As much high it sounds to be on the emotional scale, it was just as sound on the technical & practical front. All of us had spent good amount of time practicing, planning & programming ourselves for the first longest journey of our lives (Not for Prateek, of course, who had done 2000 km of cross-country cycling before, twice); I feel our preparations only helped us to get the most precious experience out of our journey.

Real beauty of the region, however, lies not only in the land but more so in the people, who make the ‘country’ as wonderful as calling it ‘God’s own’. May be, except for certain strata of the society, we witnessed high level of simplicity in almost every aspect of living; be it commuting via local transport such as a ferry, clothing (except for, of course, the gold ornaments that the ladies wear), or the food … Kearla, as a whole, gave me more than one reason to thoroughly enjoy my first cross-country-cycling experience with Life Away From Life.

I loved the way the day started with a fabulous breakfast … simple, no-frills, not much choice, but high on quality. The matter-of-factly way in which a highly efficient ’Anna’ in the roadside stall served hot, delicious idalis or appams or dosas, of course, with unlimited accompaniment of either sambhar or chutney or a simple-no-nonsense curry (remember, not much choice such early morning), while solid, melodious chanting from a nearby temple loudspeaker entered my senses along with soft rays of the dawning sun, made a perfectly positive beginning of the day! It was all ‘simply’ touching. It made me feel at home. Eat as much as you can - one can almost feel the fellowship, a like of brotherhood that is long lost in the city. Even as a visitor like me, who does not understand the language beyond a few set words, getting by was simpler than I thought; partially thanks to the 100% literacy of the state. Common people’s lifestyle, piousness, cleanliness, eco-friendliness, awareness of civic duties … all of it makes Kerala truly unique.

2009-10-05T22:53:00.000-07:00

We all know what normally life in a city is, engaging, crowdy, pollution, traffic, noise...., without deriding the importance of this life there is also an internal need for a "life away from life". I can now say with experience and objectivity that this trek was really refreshing both physically and mentally. A very heartfelt thanks to Prateek for selecting the trek and organizing it beautifully.

- ASHISH MAKARIA

"My lungs were filled to capacity with fresh oxygen" ... RAJEE NAIR writes her experience..

2009-10-04T22:27:00.000-07:00

Life Away from Life … the name sounded good and I wondered how they would be? First time I heard of the group was when I saw a post on my friend’s face book profile. I had re-discovered cycling after several (read 10-15) years and was itching to get back on the trail. My friend’s profile said some thing about cycling from Mumbai to Goa. Divine intervention? I traced the post and reached Prateek Deo and LAFL.

I went into overdrive as I explored their web site – cycling, rappelling, trekking, sight seeing, basically every thing that I had always dreamt of. I was raring to go and wanted to experience everything they had to offer.

As a start I signed up for a trek to Rajgad – King Of Forts. My main apprehension was that I was a single female taking off with a group of strangers but I had spoken to Prateek a couple of times and it seemed like he knew what he was doing. More importantly he came through as decent and dependable. We were asked to meet at Sion circle at 0700 in the morning for the drive to Pune and then further on to Pali from where we would start our trek. I approached the meeting point in anticipation; people who were going for the trek were clearly distinguishable from others on the street. The attire and the backpacks had trekking written all over them.

The moment I met Prateek I felt at ease and the rest of the group fell into camaraderie so easily that it seemed like we had known each other for ever. The drive on the expressway was spent in pleasantries of introductions and narrating past adventure experiences. By the time we reached the first stop for breakfast, we had fallen into easy conversation with each other. The last stretch of the drive from Pune to Pali meandered through quaint village lanes bordered by fields and trees. The weather was beautiful with slight sprinkling rain and wide open skies, it was a perfect day for being out in the open.

Beginning the trek - at the base village Pali

As we got off at the base of the hills where we were to commence our trek, Prateek started handing out the rugs and mats that we were to use for the night and our lunch packs. I realized that a lot of planning had gone into this from their side, and the lunch packs made me think that they had done this many times before and arrived at that perfect meal which was to be carried for such trips. Our trek started off through gentle slopes, paddy fields swayed on the side and we fell into smaller groups matching steps with each other. Cameras started coming out as did exclamations of delight. Birds were chirping, squirrels were running around and nature had put out her best to welcome us.

We soon approached rougher terrain and steeper slopes. There was a mist rolling in and the higher we went the better the view became. There were lush green grassy meadows, and slopes rolled out with flowers of bright purple and yellow. Beautiful enough to forget all about the trek pull out a rug or hang up a hammock and just stay there for ever in blissful oblivion from the rest of the world.

Pali Darwaja, Rajgad

The gates to the fort appeared suddenly ahead of us. Prateek explained to us the strategy for camouflaging the entrance from enemies and the advantages of unexpected ambush.

Once we reached the fort we sat down for a delicious and well deserved lunch with some white coloured stray canine company.As the mists rolled in heavier we abandoned our plans of pitching up tents and decided to spend the night in the shelter of the temples in the fort area.

Our sense of adventure was heightened in the room with rain and mist coming through the leaky roof. Steaming hot instant noodles, thepla with cheese and chai never tasted better. We guarded the spot where we intended to spend the night and exhibited territorial instincts which our new found canine friends would have immediately identified with!

The night was spent in a tangle of arms, legs and blankets not knowing which belonged to whom. In the morning the mist lifted and we saw the view that was denied to us on the previous day. We explored the fort, Padmavati lake and looked at the endless valley from Rajgad to Pune stretched out as far as the eyes could see.

Chandra Tal at Balekilla on Rajgad

Meadows, peaks and valleys spread out grandly, shades of green beyond imagination rolled out one after another. The grass blades, leaves and flowers nodded their heads with the breeze and sparkled with fresh dew. The sunlight reflected off them and the dew shone like diamonds. I felt like staying there and soaking in the glorious view for ever. As I breathed in the air it seemed like my lungs were filled to capacity with fresh oxygen.

Because it had rained all night the walk threw up challenges and changed the trek to a balancing act. Arms and hands jumped out to help each other with a team spirit that only an adventure can kindle amongst people who had met only a day before.

We reached back to the spot that we had started from but parts of us had changed for ever. We had set out for a thrill but came back with so much more. Our minds totally re-booted. Gone were all the prejudices and petty issues that occupied our mundane lives. I came back with a whole new set of friends, like minded people with whom I had spent one of the best moments of my life …. Away from life!

- RAJEE NAIR an enthusiastic participant and good human being.

New years eve trek ... Goechala & Dzongri trek, Sikkim 2009

2009-01-09T23:15:00.000-08:00

Hi Prateek,

I hope the new year has kicked on well at your end. I'm back in Melbourne now relishing the summery weather. I am so glad to have actually made it to the Dzongri trek over the turn of the year. Thanks to you for the talk on the morning of the trek. It nudged me actually make it to the trek.

It was a refreshing trek with fabulous views with the milky snow almost rippling sometimes, the vibrant peely tree barks, dual coloured leaves and marvels of the sun+snow interface. Jhongbu Sherpa was a fabulous guide, always there to support. Thanks to him I actually got to see more than I would have noticed as it was so easy to drift into the 'thinking mode looking down as I tread.

' I can't but help looking at the snaps again and again to relive the moments during the trek. Just after the trek I was reading the book Into Thin Air - Jon K -about a Mount Everest disaster in 1996. I could so relate to it (almost) and thoroughly absorbed the book.

I would like to hear from Sunil, Ravi and Chimay regarding their escapade after I turned back from Dzongri. I soo wanted to stay on to proceed further from Dzongri but due to stingent flight schedules I had to turn back. I was a bit upset that I couldn't even stay for the extra day of acclimatisation at Dzongri - and I guess I was more upset than normal then for a simple reason like that, which I reckon was the altitude playing with my mind.

But it was all good - I had a nice walk downhill. My porter Dhonda was really nice to have helped carrry my stuff on the return trip. It was a new experience dodgin the icy planes to prevent slipping. There was fog developing on my way down and I was wondering how the guys are doing upstairs. I was concerned if they were ok.

I'd love to keep in touch with all of you I met over the turn of the year. No matter how brief the accquaintance was it was really nice getting to know you all.

Happy Trekking.
Cheers,
Pooja.

- all photos are copyright of Pooja.
She is an active traveler and and good human being , working in Australia.

Nature conjures miracles. Tadiyendamol Trek - Coorg

2008-12-23T21:09:00.000-08:00

It's the season of the year, after youth has faded away,
The colored leaves shall now waltz, until at last they lay.
Alone each must dance, and foretell of coming glory.
Autumn's come, giving hope in an unfolding story.

The question was spontaneous and my decision impulsive. The decision was to explore Coorg & to do a lot of work on the way (or so we thought). My impulse led me right. Accompanied by the Fonseca family, Mr.Deo and myself, the Matsyagandha Express made it's way towards Mangalore. And then came dinner-I think we stole the meal of an elephant, what with rasam & curd rice! Not to mention the number of starters we had-phew! We made it to Manglore at 8am the next day & proceeded straight towards the first Idlies of the day. At the end of a smooth but winding Sumo journey we were at the Kabinakad junction in Coorg.

A wild 4x4 jeep ride for 3kms and we were in paradise itself, 'The Honey Valley Estate'.
Set up by the Chengappa family – it is splendidly isolated. Soon at the estate I realized that time can be at a standstill but yet move on eternally. Uncle, aunty and Sharad have brought up the place with great warmth and it shows in the way they have nurtured the place over the years with undying love & hardwork. I thoroughly enjoyed every meal at Honey Valley, which would be authentic South Indian cuisines with the various aromas of the region's spices. Post lunch I tucked myself away in my cosy little room until our first walk to the dry pond that evening. The scene set for us, was that of endless mountain ranges, a number of ridges of grassy & forest clad slopes rising to the sky. We spoke of Walt Disney here.

Gearing up for our trek to Tadiyendamol the next day, I started my day (as usual) by calling out to Prateek at 6am. After our invigorating warm-up walk, we had bellies rumbling and pleading for a heavy but sumptuous breakfast. We chose 'Route F' from the pond. The landscape didn't stop fascinating me for even a moment. A number of streams came our way-they offered us their cool & clear waters.

Mid way we were joined by a British couple, Julliet(74) & Brian(77), their zest towards life & enthusiasm in every step was contagious. Rutha & Umesh, another couple also chose to tag along. We made it to the base camp by 2pm, with few chances to attempt the climb, sad but hungry we munched on assorted biscuits & sandwiches. From a distance we were picked up by Ganesh and his jeep. We soon had dinner and then spoke till 2am. Here I learnt that people are good & every journey reveals another.

As we sat on the verandah outside our rooms, 'Route D' called out to us – a new trek began. The rustling leaves & the pristine beauty around seemed to have taken away all the tiredness from the previous day. This route is not very dramatic but as we walked we found symphonies amongst the trees. We sat by a small stream and watched the insects play in the water. Our conversations having no end were beautiful. On our way back, I saw a breathtaking view – that of the valley, distant hills with a small house nestled in the forests (I wished it was my own), a moon up in the pink sky.

My camera was too inert to capture this scene unfold in front of us. It was very much like a dream sequence. Underneath the canopy of the dense evergreen trees, nature conjured a miracle. We smiled. The sails were about to change the course – the wind already had.

Nature played its tunes, we softly whispered the words & life then sang a beautiful song.

In all things of nature, I found there is something marvelous-every moment seemed splendid and I found the best of me in the hills.

- all photos & written by Prachi Pednekar

"Tranquility with a pinch of pre-history" Bundi - Rajasthan . An exploratory excursion

2008-12-21T03:59:00.000-08:00

Commencing your travels with a slight drizzle is said to bring good luck & it sure did. We made it to Kota by 8am the next day for our first few cups of chai. The town was waking up as we took the 10mins auto ride to the bus stand where we got on the bus for Bundi. The Rajasthan Roadways buses have an excellent frequency. Though they might not be sparkling clean, it’s safe to expect a smooth ride. Within 45 minutes, Bundi welcomed us. It appeared well spread out and peaceful.

It is a rustic but colorful town located in the south of Rajasthan, India’s largest state. Bundi is agriculturally very prosperous as it is irrigated by the canals from the Chambal river. Farms of Soybean, Wheat, Maize and Mustard as well as lush green paddy fields border Bundi. The Amruts of Bundi are also as good as you can get’em.

Our stay at Ishwari Niwas was pleasant, never mind a bit of artificial Rajasthani touch given to it. It was built to house the Dewan of Bundi during the reign of Maharao Ishwari Singh and was later turned into a guest house. Bundi, remains a vastly unexplored splendour but one which although isolated has a lot to offer. There are hardly any Indian tourists who come to Bundi and sadly it is only frequented by foreigners, for they are aware of the tranquility & rich history it offers.

We met Mr.Om Prakash Sharma aka Kukki at his residence. A humble man with a number of stories to tell, a grocery shop to run & a consuming passion towards history. Two decades of his life have been spent exploring the hills and river banks around Bundi. Without any fundings or governmental support he has found evidence of unknown civilizations. Prehistoric rock paintings, weapons of stones,shards of pottery, utencils made out of terracota and coins from various dynasties that ruled in India, constitute his vast wealth of findings. It is commendable for a man who is educated till class 8.

These rock paintings are an unwritten story of evolution. According to Kukkiji, they said a silent prayer towards the animals the cavemen had killed or also a form of demonstration of danger for their younger ones to understand. The prehistoric man would also draw on the rocks when at leisure, manifesting his ideas through the shades of ochre. The colors were taken from powdered rocks or colored earth available at the nearby mounds and hills. The caves depicted paintings belonging to the Mesolithic period showing animals like the bisons, tigers, dogs and antelopes, hunting scenes, daily life episodes of that period, dancing postures, flocks of deer etc. The discovery at Namana on the 4th December, 1993 was a milestone. It is a copper period mound and contained a civilization older than the Harappan and Mohen-jo-daro period.

There needs to be awareness about these finds and they should be protected from vandals and natural corrosion. I agreed with him when he called them our national wealth. There are archeological mounds waiting there to be explored and the answers they might bring to us might well rewrite history. The second day took us to the Golpur & Bhimlat rock painting sites. It was a short walk through the canyon and spring water streams passed us. As we sat there gazing at the art, I drifted far away and visualized the settings back then, felt the presence of an ancestry. Bhimlat equally exalted my imaginations. A cascading waterfall adds to the picturesque beauty of this area and makes you want to reconfirm the fact that you are in desert land-Rajasthan.

We had to cut our travel short as we had to catch the 6pm bus to Nainwa, a town within the district of Bundi. It was a bumpy journey with peanuts for company and we were there by night-fall. I find something very beautiful about the people of Rajasthan; they are not just hospitable they are also benign and very warm. I felt I could have stayed long months with them without feeling homesick.

Next morning I was all set for exploring the interiors of Rajasthan.. We went through miles of sarson ke khet, posed for a few snaps, crossed a number of tractors carrying dozens of people and men on cycles with turbans, the colours of the sun. Joyous children greeted us, all wanting to squeeze into the camera frame; we met a humble but prosperous farmer and fourteen peacocks.

On our last day in Bundi, we explored the exquisitely carved chatris and also visited the Taragarh Fort. Built in 1345, from locally quarried stone, it stands as a fine example of Rajput architecture with its imposing structure of stone and massive battlements and ramparts. Some parts of the fort are heavily vandalized by treasure-hunters and in need of immediate restoration. But, the fort still defines the royal grandeur of a bygone era. The view from the top is breathtaking; it gave me a feel of a magnificent canvas with pale hues of blue, dotted with impressive havelis, temples and a vibrant bazaar. The entire journey was one to remember, as I walked through the pages of pre-history and in the fields of gold, this winter never felt too cold as I had warm memories from Bundi.

In the simplicity of my surroundings, every moment spent was splendid & yet again here, I found the best of me.

How to Reach Bundi: The best way is to contact Mr. Prateek Deo!

- written by Prachi Pednekar

LADAKH JEEP SAFARI - an experimental photography tour

2008-09-09T23:03:00.000-07:00

LADAKH - A Land like No Other ! The landscape of Ladakh cannot but leave the visitors enraptured. It is hard not be be entranced by the austere beauty of the terrain, its immensity and emptiness. Or indeed its medieval monasteries and the charming oasis-like villages.

'Little Tibet', as it has long been called, it is the 'land of high mountain passes' sandwiched between the Great Himalaya and the sub-ranges of the lofty Karakoram chain - Ladakh has two major mountain systems the Zanskar Mountains and the Ladakh Range. It is also the country's highest, coldest and driest zone.

Apart from its amazing landscape, Ladakh's other major attractions are its 'gompas'. Fascinating as the Buddhist monasteries are, they bewilder and intrigue you as most visitors. The paintings on the walls that display fierce dragon-like figures, the statues at the altar and elsewhere depicting the many gods of the Buddhist pantheon, the curious circles called 'mandalas' drawn or made with coloured sand, the many strange artifacts of worship and the scary, demonic masks which the tourists can make little of their significance ot the strange rituals of Lamaist Buddhism

Hemis Dance

The 473km Manali - Leh Journey is one of the world's most spectacular drives and very strenuous too; more than half the road is unmetalled and it crosses four passes, the first of which is the Rohtang Pass (13,050 ft) .

Beyond Rohtang, the terrain changes drastically as the green wooded slopes of the Kulu Valley give way to the Progressively barren mountains. Descending to the narrow valley of the Chandra river the road passes by the town of Keylong, the headquaters of the Lahaul-Spiti. Ascending the Great Himalayan Range now, it negotiates the BaralachLa Pass (16,046 ft) before coming down to the Sarchu Plains (14,110 ft).

Ashok - Our driver from Manali

Two other passes, the LachulungLa Pass (16,730 ft) and the TanglungLa Pass (17,552 ft), both over the Zanskar Range are negotiated the next day, between them is a long flat scenic stretch called the Morey Plains. You pass by a couple of villages before reaching Upshi on the indus. It is then an easy drive up the Indus Valley to Leh.

enroute jispa

Baralacha Pass

Zing Zing bar

Bharatpur

Near Taglangla

Sarchu plains

After Sarchu

Gata Loops

Near Nakeela pass

Lachulung La

Morey Plains

Debring


*Desending Tanglangla*

Shyok river and Diskit village

Khardung La Top

Confluence of Nubra & Shyok

En-route Sumur

Chortens at Sumur

Near Hunder

Hunder dunes

Rafting

The rafting team

On the way to Tso Moriri

Tso Kiagar

Nomads Near Tso Moriri

Tso Moriri

Tso Kiagar

Hot springs en-route Tso Kar

Salt deposits of Tso Kar

- written by Meghna Vira- one of the enthusiastic participant of this Jeep safari.

Stok Kangri expedition, Ladakh

2008-06-26T21:52:00.000-07:00

"Its my dream to climb Stok Kangri , tho' I have never been to this height"
said Aman Pruthi a mechanical engineer from IIT Mumbai, when he came to my office first. I knew I had a very important task on my hands. I'm dealing with dreams, great dreams. His eyes had something which made me feel that he will summit and i was not wrong.

On 26th June 2008, at 5:30 am he stood on top of Stok Kangri along with Pamposh Kaushik.

They made us proud.They made everyone believe that dreams do come true, if you work hard for it, however.This climb will be remembered in our hearts our minds forever.
Well done Aman & Pamposh.!!
- Prateek Deo , Director LAFL


*Starting Point of our trek - SPITUK*

"2nd day trek- Zingchen-Rhumbak"

"Stok La base...Our path went through Stok La...the small bump in the centre of pic where the zigzag pinnacles and smoother ridge meet. I love the cloud shadows formation "

"Sunset at Stok La base..one of the windiest place I've ever been"

"Our route on the other side of Stok La "

"1st view of Stok Kangri peak...the 1 in background"

"Our camp at Manokarmo...left bottom of the pic...Pic from a nearby hill I climbed for no reason"

"Mount Stok Kangri...the mountain that haunted my dreams for many months "

"Stok Glacier and our camp in foreground"

"The 3 lights r faces of 3 people...headlamps. If you look closely, u can c nose of d guy below the brightest headlamp. We reached advance base camp(ABC) by 3 in afternoon..prepared gear for the trek..had dinner..slept from 8pm to 10pm...had breakfast at 10pm..and started trek at 11 and reached summit at 5:34 in the morning. Back to ABC by 8:00 and to BC by 9:30 and slept the whole day and night."

"almost at summit, couldn't take any pics on d way as I was entangled all over my body with ropes and carabiners and anyway I wasn't in a condition to even think of taking a pic."

"me on summit "

"the far off hills belong to Tibet"

"Prayer flags for thanks to mountain gods for letting us climb d peak and to pray for a safe descent. We can never conquer mountains. We can just thank them for letting us stand on their peaks and for lifting their veil to reveal the innocent and serene beauty they possess."

"another team of british girls reaching d peak in 'as close to death as possible without shifting to the other side' condition...same as mine :D"

"The summiters: Pamposh and me. "

"the far off hills belong to Pakistan"

"Kitchen tent"

"A mountaineers' celebration of making the summit"

"some peak view from airplane"

"Its jet right now but I've been here, to this height above the clouds on foot."

"Ladakh range...my mountain is lost somewhere here."

the summit route:

Day 1: Spituk to Zingchen (camp1)
Day 2: Zingchen to Stok la base via Rumbak (camp 2)
Day 3: Stok la base via Stok la pass to Mankarmo (camp 3)
Day 4: Mankarmo to Base camp (camp 4)
Day 5: Base camp to Advance base camp - ABC (camp 5)
Day 6: ABC to Summit and back to Base camp
Day 7: Base camp to Stok - Base village

Pamposh Kaushik presently is working with Punjab Police , and has completed his Advance course in Mountaineering from HMI Darjeeling. Aman Pruthi is presently working as a mechanical engineer in Mumbai .He completed his studies from IIT Mumbai.

Excerpts and photos taken from Aman Pruthi's personal album

"COORG MEMORIES"

2007-12-27T01:37:00.000-08:00

Kodagu happened to us instead of the other way around. We could not finalize on any place and the temptation of a well planned itinerary with no inquiries to be done seemed a perfect way to celebrate our upcoming wedding anniversary. Surely we were not ready for anything that we experienced and the scenery only added to it leaving us totally spellbound

Coorg that is Kodagu for a layman means steep hills of tall trees. And there could not be a better description of the place.The resort picked up by Prateek was the cherry on the cake. Full with the natural biodiversity having acacia and flame of the forest inter spread with undergrowth of coffee and other spices. This was the most informative trek/trip I have had in months. There was so much to experience and explore with 30 acres full of raw vegetation, roads and waterfalls. We had the best natural bath tub one could ever imagine.

Tadiyendamol Peak, Highest in Coorg

Being a regular trekker climbing up to me means unshackling all that is built within me mentally / physically....and thus on the top one feels so light. So undoubtedly climbing the highest peak of Tadiandamol had more to do with me than just trek. Coorg from there is like nothing we expected - a picture perfect sight. The district looked like a cloud of mountains.

Coorg is not for people to collect souvenirs or sightseeing because the place is to be seen and felt. It halts life to such a pace that only two days to us were enough to feel alienated to the roads and traffic jams coming back to Pune. It felt like being zapped out of a dream so peaceful and serene one.

Outing for the first time with LAFL and being the only couple in the group yet we never felt out of place. In return got to know so many new people with varied backgrounds and profession and hope have made friends for life. Looking forward to many more such memories to cherish.

All the best to you Prateek in your life and in your life away from life. Cheers!!!

- written by Swati Dubey, was an enthusiastic participant, and an architect by profession

Anjaneri Trek - We trekked, camped in the clouds, cooked our own food and had fun.

2007-10-01T23:11:00.000-07:00

Hi Prateek,

Thanks for organizing a wonderful trek like that and also making sure in any situation we get awesome food to eat.
This was my first trekking experience and I must say its going to be the most memorable one coz this trek motivated me to plan to go on treks more often.

It was an amazing learning experience. Specially learnt how to put tents up and survive in the wilderness. It was quite an adventure. The most important lesson i learnt about treking is that we learn to overcome fears and blocks that we build in us. Also it was really nice to meet different people and hope to keep in touch and go for more treks together.
Thanks once again
Maansi

Hi All
Suddenly city life, traffic, all that honking, and superficial banter seems unnatural to the system. The weekend experience has left an idelible mark on the soul and I'm thankful to all of you and your wonderful energies for making this such a memorable trip. A special thanks to the silent and still duo of Prateek and Radhika.

The most important lesson for me has been that of team work. There is no place for individuals and for ego in an endeavour such as this. The forces of nature take precedence over 'I' and 'Me' and I learnt that only 'We' survives.

Thank you Prateek for not making this a regimental, 'do this' and 'dont do this' experience. Thank you for letting us figure it out for ourselves. Thankyou for teaching us how to put up tents and then dismantle it soon after, I'm sure we learnt the proccess better that way :).

Not in my widest dreams would I have imagined that we would be sleeping huddled togerther in a strange ashram, sleeping on mud/dung floors being watched over by ash smeared dubious baba's and thir revolving chillums. Nor did I expect the climb to the summit to be as rewarding as it turned out to be. Yes, i'm a film mker and a tad bit over dramatic (what to do?), but I can say without doubt that this has been the most magical experience of my life.

I now look forward to my work as a means to be able to do many more such trips (i know they will get more treacherous and more difficult, and I look forwrd to it).
Cheers to you all, and thankyou for being so wonderful.
Love,
Apurva

Hey Prateek
Thank you, for providing us with a chance to experience ... a serendipitous journey! No one would have imagined that it would turn out the way it did, and then have our apprehensions whisked away by a crazy mix of incidents/ characters and emotions! It was an amazing trip, one that will be hard to forget. Looking forward to it again!

And of course, you the people of the trek that added their colorful, myriad personalities to weave the fabric that made the carpet so beautiful.... thank you...hope to see you again!
Regards,
Smriti

Hi Prateek,

First of all, many thanks to you & Radhika for organizing the trip. I truly enjoyed every bit of it and had good fun. The entire trek was quite adventurous right from the very beginning where we battled the rains to set up tents, struggled to get the stove lit up, survived our stay at the ashram and finally explored the peak.

It was a gr8 learning experience for me & i came home fully satisfied & rejuvenated.
I think trekking comes in as a blessing in disguise in many ways. You not only enjoy the adventure far away from your routine & mundane life but also get an opportunity to make good friends coming from varied fields but sharing a common passion.

Thanks once again.
cheers,
Santosh
P.S : I can now proudly boast that i have successfully learnt the art of putting up a tent even in bad weather.

Hey Prateek,

Thank you for organising the trek. It was one of the most real experiences iv ever had. Its so funny, we live in a big world with so many people, all so caught up with themselves that its easy to put on a mask and fool everyone around you.. and eventually yourself. I am one of those people.. but on that mountain.. when I was 3300 feet away from the ground. I felt more real and grounded than i have ever felt. I could see myself for who i was and not who i wanted to be. I could see my fears staring at me in the face, and had two choices. Face them or hide. There was no pressure to do either. It was completely my choice. What a great space!

To sum it up Walking up was great fun! Setting the tents up was a great learning.. the psychadelic baba was a treat.. the ashram was a retreat! and the decend was the biggest climb towards myself.
Hats of to you and everyone else in that space. You guys are amazing!
I eagerly await the next journey. For now its time to use everything i have learnt to improve my environment back home ;)

Backpackingly yours,
Rikhhil

- The experiences were sent to us via e-mails

"My 2 cents" - Ladakh trip

2007-08-30T01:57:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure what I was signing myself up for when I decided on a trip to Ladakh. All I knew was I needed a break, the hills beckoned, and I had good company. We could have headed anywhere, but chose Ladakh. It helped that the trip seemed all planned and details taken care of, courtesy Prateek Deo. All we had to do was go along.

Ladakh is meant to be experienced and not merely seen. Nothing could have prepared me enough. Right from the lush green misty valleys of Manali to the startling sand-laden mountains of Hunder, we never 'saw it coming' until each landscape actually presented itself before us. Dramatic in very sense of the world...all we could do was gape at each picture-perfect scene and click away. It's another matter that pics do absolutely no justice to the place.

Copper blue skies and fluffy clouds, towering mountains, golden snow caps, canyons, winding roads, army convoys, chai and some more chai, thukpa and momos, maggi noodles at 10000 ft, freezing winds, the placid Pangong, yaks, perfect sunrises, surreal sunsets, shooting stars and the Milky Way, gardens in a riot of colours, eating ripe apples and apricots off the trees, fragile gompas, long walks leaving lungs screaming for the crisp mountain air, cold clear streams, torn shoes, camel rides on the high-altitude deserts, rafting on the Indus, chilled noses and rosy complexions, silences broken by birds chirping, lingering laughter, silly jokes and camaraderie causing aching tummies, snowflakes at 18000ft!

Ladakh was all that and so much more. I came away humbled, by the simple Indian Army soldiers along the way, by the Khardung La pass, by the grandeur of the mountains, by the Milky Way. And so much richer by the experience and the friends I made. This trip is among my most cherished, magical in every sense of the word.

Would not have been possible without Thakur's (aka Prateek) efforts. Owe you a big one for this, Mr Deo :) Thank you for the music and the memories!

-Written by Sabita
Sabita was one of the enthusiastic participant of the Ladakh Aug 2007 trip. Professionally shes a technical writer.

Gangtey trek in Bhutan - "The biggest thing we took back were only our memories from Druk Yul"

2007-03-05T23:57:00.000-08:00

Sonam, our guide in Bhutan, was our window to the life and culture of Bhutan. A gem of a person who managed to mingle with everyone among our group, taught us a Bhutanese love song (ahem, I am yet to sing it for the right person), found us when we were lost during the 3-day trek and cracked jokes with us. The bus journeys were often spent just gazing out of the window drinking in the beauty of the mountain ranges although some people were always found dozing off to sleep within minutes (are the avomin fans listening?).

During the week long trip, all of us were spellbound by the natural beauty in Bhutan. Well, some of us were a little more struck by rosy cheeks than the mountains, but then we will discount that. The mountains covered with trees, snow, clouds and the prayer flags fluttering along with the cool wind have all made a life long imprint in our hearts. Bhutan seems to exist in a different time; people seem so calm and serene. The roads are clean, the shops are barely inhabited, the villages are sparsely distributed and the children are eager to wave at every tourist who passes them. The experience was indeed "life away from life."

The 3-day trek to Gangtey was just a trailer of what Bhutan has to offer for the trekking enthusiast. We started on the morning on March 5 th from the Phuntshocholing farmhouse. The first day was mostly climbing along with some breathtaking views of the mountains. We reached the pass [need it's name, I think it was tse la pass] by lunch time after having climbed for about 4 hours. We all hugged each other when we reached as there was so much joy in having reached that pass at about 11,000 ft and it meant something to each one of us.

The second day ie March 6th was spent trekking through mostly snow and mud in forests. We were exhausted and our hands were numb by the end of the day owing to numerous snowfights. Prateek and Kaushal's snow escapades were the highlight of the day where Kaushal finally resorted to guerilla tactics by hiding behind trees and rocks to attack Prateek with snow. We passed a stretch in the forest where the trees were really really tall and the ground was covered with thick green- yellow vegetation and it was all covered in mist. It was one of the most memorable sights for me. The nights spent camping were full of chattering and battling with the cold outside. The only respite was the warmth from the bonfire which used to run throughout the evening and night after our arrival. Hats off to the crew at the camp sites. The stories told around the bonfire with the chilly wind blowing are still fresh in our minds. The third day of the trek comprised of sheer descent. My toes and knees were hurting with every step that I took yet the beauty of the trees full of red rhododendrons and bright green bamboo leaves seemed to take all the tiredness away.

When I finished the trek, I was overcome with a sense of achievement yet I realized that it meant the Bhutan trip was almost over. The last day was spent in Paro exploring the town and it's small shops for some knickknacks that we wanted to take back for our friends and family. Ultimately the biggest thing we took back were only our memories from Druk Yul, the land of the thunder dragon.

-Written and photographs by Shruti Keerti
(Shruti and Keerti both are names of one person , was one of the enthusiastic participant of the Gangtey trek in Bhutan, and has just finished her MBA )

"I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud... " Trek to Peb Fort near Matheran

2006-10-29T00:15:00.000-07:00

"I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud
That floats on high over vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. "
- William Wordsworth

This is exactly how I feel when I look back and glance at the time that has gone by…Even after two days I am still nostalgic about the entire Peb fort trek and only words that can describe the entire trip are enigma and unfathomable. And when the trek is along with passionate and trekkers par excellence like Prateek and Sheriff it is nothing but a dash of wonderful dark chocolate on freshly baked black forest cake.

One can never understand the concept OF LIFE AWAY FROM LIFE with out really experiencing what it is…So let’s commence the journey.

It all started when Prateek the captain of the ship decided to take us too Kalsubai peak which is the highest peak in Maharashtra. But due to some reasons it didn’t really workout. But then there is always an alternative or you can say that something else was to come and yes that is how Prateek decided a trek to Peb fort. As per me I was always an ever ready member just about to jump into any kind of adventure, though was a little apprehensive as to what is Peb fort and where is it. I had never even read in the history (that was taught to me in the school) that such a fort exists. But that apprehension soon faded in front of the shear excitement that had made home in my mind.

I spoke to Prateek over the phone and got the details like where is the fort (which is at Neral) what train to catch, what time do we need to start and what all need to be packed etc etc…
I was even fascinated to know that the fort is in Neral… for past 6 years I have been going to Neral to stay as we have a house there, but never even once I knew that there was a beautiful fort just behind my back… I just had to turn around and see it, but I never did that

As per PD (That’s Prateek) we were supposed to board a 7.ll am Karjat fast train from Kurla. So keeping the timeline in my mind I started of my journey from Borivali by boarding a 5.45 Churchgate fast local which made me reach Dadar at 6.20am, post which I had to spent around 15mins in the queue for getting a ticket to neral, the queue was so long that at a point of time I actually felt that I missed the karjat fast local but I made it exactly at 7 am to Kurla after which I received a call from PD asking where was I to which I said I am just coming towards platform number 5. Till that time I had not met Prateek Deo, my only connection with him was through ORKUT and today was the first time that I was going to meet a person who was himself all through the trek, a natural and simple guy who mesmerized me with his vision, undying love for forts, mountains and “Living Life King Size” attitude in any given situation.

As I neared the clock that he was standing underneath, he was there with his buddy from Ladhak Sherriff. We boarded the 7.11am karjat local bang on time (felt that some how central railway train time table was falling into place)

So began the journey towards the mighty fort. While in the train PD and I spoke at lengths about various topics ranging from fake communities on orkut to forts to 20000ft mtrs Stok Kangri climb. Never came to know when we reached Neral. It took us precisely an hour and a little more than that to reach the Neral station (My second home.)

Post reaching Neral we purchased some fruits and decided to have a breakfast at in a small place, to my surprise the owner of the small hotel new PD very well, from here one can actually make out that PD had explored this fort umpteen number of times. We had our breakfast and commenced towards the aim that we all had set in mind for the day. We started walking towards the mountain at 9.20.

We started walking on the road towards Neral station and then came the real part a walk through the fields, which I only could imagine. As we passed through fields we smelt fresh grass. The smell was so refreshing that it revived my senses and from there on started my relation with life away from life

But at the same time I was aware that I was a first timer and did not have the capacity to climb, which came as a signal to me when my legs started aching. But it did not really bother or deter me anymore as I started enjoying the picturesque ridges that the sahyadri ranges formed. PD was all the way explaining that on the right hand side is nakhind ridge and on the left hand side is the beautiful matheran. We walked past fields, a small sparsely populated village and a river which formed the source of livelihood for the people residing in it. This can be only visualized if one essentially passes through the trail and feel the simplicity that people lived in. As we moved further on I realized that we had started to climb the mountain. I was getting tired and had started to ventilate, I could hear the sound of my breathing at the same time my heart was pounding (Lub Dudub…Lub Dudub) and suddenly my foot went into one of the crevices that was created in a stone and that was the time I had a great fall. I think that was much needed it was my Naman to the mighty fort that I was about to climb. By the time I got up it was a happy realization that we had actually reached the first stage that is the cemented wall on which the electric pole stood (though dono for how many years it had been there)

PD thereafter told me and sherrif that there were two more stages after which there is a straight climb which would take us to the fort. So putting those words straight into mind we all again started to climb. In-between we had a Tang party which instilled a lot of positive energy with a dash of much needed glucose for the climb. The Stok Kangri stories those were so great that I had actually figured out Ladhak in my mind.We reached a certain part on the plain which was full cool breeze enough for relaxing. The air was filled with fresh green grass and fresh green leaves smell (one can never get to experience in the city life). Yes it’s true I could even feel the colour of the smell green and fresh indeed. I felt fresh like I never felt before. We 3 sat beneath a tree and rested for a while, the cows grazing around us felt that we were evading their territory; it was for the first time that I tried understanding a different kind of language other than that of human beings.

After a short break we again marched towards the desired destination. Though after some time I did not really feel tired as I thought that a certain rhythm was starting to build in me. It made me forgot about the fall that I had and the amount of ventilation that I was going through.The violet flowers on the green grass were absolutely beautiful; there was a patch which had a lot of yellow coloured flowers. The most amazing thing that I loved was the butterflies that kept on flying from one place to the other. A rare sight to see in the cemented jungle.A little further we found some ladies whom we happily named “Maushi”. Well PD named them Maushi.com. I was amazed to see how they could climb down the mountains with a load on their head. The entire mountain was filled with noises that small creatures made which sounded like a cascading waterfalls, every time I heard I felt there was a river flowing.Slowly and steadily we climbed towards the summit, it was a very steep and a difficult climb. Thanks a million to Sherrif that he was always motivating me and guarding by saying that I was doing really great.

Finally at 1.30 we touch the summit of Peb fort. After four and half hours of ascend we…no rather I made it. It was exhilarating experience when you see a lot of open space and the beauty around. It just feels like wish you had wings that you could spread and fly. On the summit, there was enough water for us to drink. It was crystal clean and sweet to taste as it was harvested rain water. And one cannot even defeat the fact that it was 10 times better than the drinking water that we get in our houses.At the summit it was the best time having lunch of poori, batatyachi bhaaji and mouth watering pickle, thanks to PD’s Mom who had made such a lovely lunch. Post which there was a session of Shairo– Shayari by Sherrif. Not to forget that they were all great and funny. PD’s Don Jokes went on and on which kept the atmosphere full of fun and masti.

We spend around 2 hours on top of the summit talking with each other, clicking snaps and than finally it was time for us to descend. But something within me kept saying there’s still more time and I didn’t want to get down so soon. But finally had to say a sweet goodbye and descend making a promise to myself that I will be back again.

We started to climb down slowly and steadily. We passed through the same trails of rocks, planes and beautiful grass land. The grass land made me feel as if I was in Savanna grassland.

We managed to complete the trail in flat 2 ½ hours. In between there was a lot of fun that we had eating fruit, tang party and the very important photo sessions. Also I heard the sound of electricity that passed through the huge electric cables which was one of a kind experience. Ever tried listening to them in city, don’t even try the stunt. As we kept walking towards Neral station, I could see the smoke coming out of the houses, children playing around, women in the houses preparing for supper which made me realize that life could be simple yet filled with contentment and happiness.

At around 6pm we reached Neral station and we all treated ourselves with buttermilk, lassis, pav bhaji and missel now doesn’t that look like party time. The hotel wall had a picture of Shivaji’s coronation ceremony. Still we had an hour left before the train arrived which would take us to respective destinations.On the whole trek to Peb fort was not just a trek but a mode of self purification, a built up on the mental courage. It made me feel like I was there in the lap of Mother Nature enjoying the divine creation so be it a bird, a butterfly, the smiling sun, the welcoming cool breeze, the pure blue skies, the grassland. The only thing that I missed was staying underneath the blanket of star studded sky which I guess would be my next experience breathing Life Away From Life All along in my mind I felt that PD was a walking talking encyclopedia on forts and the strategic location that they were built in. I would describe him to be reincarnation of Raje Shivaji, so much in love with the mighty forts.

Thanx PD and Sheriff for guiding all through this beautiful trek to Peb fort

-Written by Deepti Kamble
Deepti is a research analyst and a good human being.

“Dal chawal at 1300m above sea level” ... Trek to the King of Forts – RAJGAD

2006-10-01T00:46:00.000-07:00

Before we start anything let's go back a couple of years. 400 odd years actually. Imagine you are a king who has just finished building a fort of your own on the tallest, most inaccessible point on the Sahyadris. That is when your architect comes up to you and presents pots of gold with a nonchalant " Oh by the way we found this while digging around"

What do you do? If you are a certain Shivaji, contemplating building a nice little capital from where you can thumb your nose at those insufferable Moguls, you go ahead and build another fort and name it Rajgad – the king of forts.

Cunningly disguised atop the Sahyadri ranges Rajgad is every trekker's dream come true. Well almost. Dream come true is not exactly how my legs would describe what I put them through this long weekend.

But let's begin at the beginning. Take two officers from the Indian Army, a scuba diving instructor, an artist who has climbed the Everest in rubber chappals, a guy who does adventure sports for a living and one 'out of shape never moved his arse from his chair' copy writer. Throw them inside a Toyota Qualis and you'll get the motley crew that decided to trek to Rajgad this weekend.

The journey itself was incredible. An early morning drive through what must surely be the best maintained expressway in India ( Mumbai- Pune expressway). Lush green hills on either side. Warm sunlight filtering through the trees. The hypnotic hymn of the tires on the road. Nature sure looks enchanting when you are ensconced in 4X4.We reached the base village Pali, with its token library, three buffaloes, two and a half hand pumps and one ancient chacha, about four hours later. Who, by the way doubles up as the gatekeeper, watchman, parking attendant and caterer. Although the last mentioned service of his is strictly for those with an iron stomach, judging by the way he was fondling certain parts of his anatomy. We hefted our rugsacs, which included clothes, sleeping bags, kerosene stoves, potatoes and yes. I bet Prateek (the guy who arranged the trip. more about him later) had a kitchen sink stuffed down there somewhere.

I would love to describe the 3 hour trek up hill in intricate detail. Fill page after page with picturesque details of hills covered with green grass, punctuated with wild violet flowers. The almost burning sensation of breathing in pure fresh air.But to be very honest all that was lost upon me. From about ten minutes after I started the trek till I reached base camp about three hours later all that mattered to me was reaching there in one piece and if possible donate both my legs to some stray dog on the way.I reached base camp held together, I am sure, by the clothes I was wearing. But once there it was heaven. The army officers (show offs) had already reached, cooked dal chaval and sabji by the time I had dumped my rugsac.

That was the most satisfying meal of my short life. Having a good hot meal perched on top of an ancient cannon with three fourths of Maharashtra spread out in front of you. Meal over, tents pitched, we went for a more leisurely stroll exploring the fort.Unlike most forts the ones in Maharashtra are not cut from the mountain. They make the bricks out of the mountain and then fashion the fort out of them. Making it almost invisible to the naked eye from the plains. Quiet handy if you half the Mogul army on your tail.

Padmavati Machi, one of the main attractions of the fort also houses the temple where trekkers can stay overnight for a small sum. You also have a couple of enterprising villagers who are willing to serve you everything from overpriced buttermilk to fosters beer. All for a price of course. By about six in the evening we settled down to cook dinner and spent the night under a canopy of stars drinking hot cups of tea and listening to adventure stories, of which my fellow trekkers had an innumerable stock.We woke up in the morning to a drizzle and thick blanket of fog that prevented us from seeing more than a few feet in front of us. But today was the day we were supposed to climb up to the Bale killa and we could not let a few dollops of fog stop us. Forget the fact that you are climbing up a sheer rock face with nothing but a rusty metal pipe to guide you. Forget the fact that one tiny slip and you will be admiring the sahyadri rock face in more detail than you'd like to. But climb we did and it was worth every single bit of trouble we took. There were moments when I was so covered with fog that it seemed like I was the only person alive in the universe. Surrounded by mist, a stiff breeze working its way through my clothes I felt at peace and far far away from all the madness that we surround ourselves with in life.

But like all good things my little sojourn with nature came to an end sooner than I wanted to. We were rolling up tents, trekking back down and resting our aching legs inside the Qualis before you could say Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai. Maybe next time I will stay longer and trek through the ridges to Torna. Maybe next time

-Written by Vinod Sudheer

Into the valley of flowers ... Let the smell of wild flowers flow free thru' your blood

2006-08-08T01:31:00.000-07:00

"Let me drink from the waters, where the mountain streams flood,
Let the smell of wild flowers flow free thru' my blood.
Let me sleep in the meadows, with the green grass and leaves;
Let me walk down the highway, with my brother and peace"
- Bob Dylan

A beautiful meadow located at an altitude of about 11,000 ft, covered with a carpet of myriad colours, surrounded by the dazzling snow clad Himalayas. Almost 300 species of wild flowers bloom here unhindered by mankind. Life away from Life went in this season a trek to The Valley of flowers in the Uttaranchal Himalayas, this trek is one of the most varied and beautiful treks in the world. The valley of Flowers National Park starts from Ghangharia but the main valley starts after crossing the gorge and the stream starting from Nar Parvat, At the entrance of the Valley stands the snow-clad peak of Ratban Parvat, towards the left is Nar Parvat, which separates the Badrinath valley from this valley, and to the right is dense Birch forest on the hillsides.

THE EXPERIENCE
"Journey to the Valley of Flowers"
It was a long way up to the Valley of flowers. Our journey took us through a variety of experiences like the overflowing food supply in the August Kranti train, the rollercoaster like jeep ride, the sandy white river banks at Rishikesh, the sunrise amidst the snow capped peaks of Auli, the sight of the Ganga Aarti at Haridwar and the ‘freaky’ chaat and lassi, the buzzing market place at New Delhi, Mandira’s Baba talks, Prateek’s ridiculous jokes (if you don’t laugh with him you’ll at least laugh at him), Meenakshi’s dramatic conversation and our tour guide’s hideous laughter (not to mention the singing sessions) all of which ensured we had no opportunity to get bored!

But the highlight of our entire trip would definitely be the 10 hour long trek to Govinddham, which is base camp for the trek to the Valley of flowers. It is a path carved in the mountain, alongside the milky white waters of the Alakhnanda river and also leads to a pilgrimage site for Sikhs called Hemkund Sahib. The walk seemed never ending but with loads of endurance, multiple breaks and a little team effort we made it there by nightfall. At the end of this testing endeavor we Mumbaiites were unanimous on the feeling of….Phat gayi!

The next morning due to some weather trouble we were confined to our hotel rooms where rounds of hot chai and uplifting guitar sessions (courtesy Prateek) kept us entertained. As we prayed for the rain gods to spare us, we sang to the tune of what was by now everybody’s favourite number – “Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone”!

When the weather got better we ventured towards the enigma that was the Valley of flowers. We couldn’t go very far, but suffice to say, the mist in the mountains and the lush green forests, the waterfall gushing through the rocks and the chilly breeze, all felt like the stuff paradise is made of. This much beauty can be overwhelming, when you’ve lived in concrete jungles for most of your life! We sat there for a while pondering over nature’s enchanting beauty, gazing into the Valley of flowers in the distance, as it beckoned us to be back…. a second time.

- written by Himangi Kanodia

June 2006 - Stok La Trek Experience

2006-06-07T02:53:00.000-07:00

I agree 100 % with Mubarak that ladakh is THE most amazing destination you will find on planet earth.

Second most important part of a journey apart form the destination is the company. We had a very good group of like-minded people and some of them were with extraordinary will power. Hats-off to Meenakshi, Yatra, Sukruti and Alishaa who seemed to carry off the tough task of trekking with so much ease ( except few moments before reaching stok la... ). Yes, we were always in the safe hands of TWO great HMI stalwarts viz Qayyum & Prateek.

Prateek, thanx for planning such a wonderful trek. I think if you had not planned for this trek then for me ladakh would always be a dream. Thanks again for making it possible. Lastly, Its been more than 3 days and the hangover is yet to subside. I feel i have come back to a strange world (mumbai) post ladakh. I am sure it is the same with all of you.

best regards

-Nazir Usman
Businessman, Mumbai

June 2006 - Stok La Trek Experience

2006-06-06T14:50:00.000-07:00

It was one of my best experiences ever, i travel a lot round the year but Ladakh is one of the best places i have ever seen . I don't have words to describe. Special Thanks to Qayyum , Nawaj Sharif , 10th Pony , Rahul ...last but not the least Prateek. We had always dreamed of going to Ladakh but with your contacts and determination you made it possible for all of us.

The arrangements made by Plan Himalayas was simply great , with a simple budget we enjoyed almost all the facilities we looked forward to. It was really fun putting up Tents and Camp Fire in nights ...will miss all that stuff and hope to reunite again on similar trip in future.

Made good freinds ...Vipin , Suku , Yatra , Alisha , King , Raghav , Menakshi , Alisha , Kabira and Cash Almighty...
Cheers!!!!

-Mubarak
Businessman, Mumbai

June 2006 - Stok La Trek Experience

2006-06-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

Julley All,

How is your boring corporate/student life treating you? I completely and totally hate coming back to work, having a bath everyday and most of all attending phone calls. I guess that's only till our next trip to the mountains........
I do have a special vote of thanx and appreciation for Prateek. I think he helped many of our dreams of visiting the mountains come true. Thank you MAMAJi!

And for Qayyum, charming Sharif and Rahul and the cooks who fed us good food up in the mountains and of course the horse who almost saved my life! And i loved being with each of you and I hope we can keep in touch......And i must thank U for being patient with an amateur trekker like me.

-Meenakshi
Client Servicing, O & M Mumbai

June 2006 - Stok La Trek Experience

2006-06-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

Have you come down to earth yet? Difficult aint it?

Now that we're back to our routine life, everything and everyone seems so rushed and hectic.It was from Spituk to Stok where friendships were made and bonds were built as we battled the cold! Ladakh was more than a holiday for me. It was an experience. One that I wish didn't have to end. It was not just the place with its magnificent beauty; but the people who made my stay so much more enjoyable.

Thank You so much Prateek, Qayoom Ji and Sharif for encouraging me to make my dream come true. Thank you Rahul, all the cooks, the horse man and those beloved horses for helping us.
And thank you my new friends for being there and here's hoping we stay in touch.

Although my body might be miles away, my heart still lingers on in Ladakh...

-Alisha
Student, Pursuing MBA, Mumbai

Dream Trek to Stok La - "Ladakh "

2006-06-05T02:02:00.000-07:00

Yes dreams do come true in Ladakh.

14 of us, successfully crossed Stok La ( 4900mts) and had a great time trekking, camping, and singing our hearts out amidst lonely hills , under the silver moonlight.

To my eye, Ladakh is stark beautiful. I immediately fell in love, at the first glimpse of Stok Kangri Peak from Leh. We reached Leh on the 5th June evening, exhausted and stunned by the immensely beautiful high passes road route, with cascading hills and the shadow of the clouds falling over them , changing hue

Our journey to the Moon land began on 3rd June from Delhi, where everyone gathered.
Manzoor bhai, Mubarak, Nazir , Meenakshi, Yatra , Sukrutee, Alisha, Kabira, Cassius, Raghav, Baizaad, Vipin and myself were all excited about this trek.

3rd – 4th June - Delhi to Manali
Delhi to Manali route is an usual journey where u sleep most of the time. There’s nothing much to see outside the bus window, but the evils of urbanization. It takes around 14 hours approx. to reach Manali with occasional stops for tea and dinner - 500kms approx.

4th June to 5th June - Manali to Keylong
We hired 2 Tata Sumo UV from Manali and halted at Keylong for the night. I celebrated my birthday on the Manali – Leh Highway. This route goes through 4 high alitude passes( route map is documented for the interested) The route goes through some stunning landscapes , like a dream unfolding. Occasional stops for tea and photographs were a regular feature of our journey.

Hotels made up of army parachutes provided some lip smacking tea and aloo paranthas, which in a way kept us alive for the tough high altitude journey.

“First times” – are always different from the second times and third and so on. It was my 1st time to Ladakh too. For many in the group it was first snow, first high altitude trip etc. For most of them it was a first high altitude trek to the Himalayas.We were all excited first hand. The night stop at Keylong or Sarachu is necessary. The driver needs rest for the next 20 hours long high altitude journey. The highest pass we crossed was the last one taralangla – 17,000 ft approx. A severe headache was experienced by everyone, we were acclimatizing , slowly. Reached, Leh by 8:00 pm.High altitude struck most us.

“Jullay”, greeted by Qayoom , my ladakhi friend who made us comfortable in a guest house on the Fort road in Leh.We took a day's rest before the trek day, to get acclimitised to the new height of Leh – 12,000ft. We spent most of the day aimlessly strolling in the beautiful Leh streets.Houses were built using mud and bamboo for the walls, we greeted everyone shouting “Jullay on top of our voices, yah we were excited. As adviced by Qayoom, we did some basic climbing in the evening to Shanti Stupa, a quiet and beautiful place.

We were now feeling comfortable about this new high. After a quick brief by Qayoom our trek leader, about the “do’s and don’t’s for the trek we started packing. Excited, tensed and anxious, were the mixed feeling amongst the group. Our first trek in Ladakh, was finally going to happen.
This night was my longest one to pass.I kept thinking about my dreams and how not to give up pursuing them. They sure can become reality. You have to be persistent.To fly, it requires persistence and resistance.

OK the dream started next day after an early drop to the village of Spituk, which lies immediately south of Leh, on the opposite side of the Indus valley.We met our wonderful cooks and 10 ponies. The Spituk gompa passed by as we reached our starting point near the wodden bridge and started out trek to Zingchen (3410m). The walk was more or less on a plateau , but passing thru some stunning landscape all around, natures own Imax screen.It was a 5 hrs walk thru deserted valleys utnil we reached a small village called Zingchen. We camped there for the night.

Day 2 of trekking
Zingchen- Rumbak (5 hrs. Trek) After an early breakfast, we walked along the stream, crossing it several times and finally reached Rumbak (3800 m) -a picturesque and agriculturally rich valley, with beautifullly decorated houses, small temple and school. Since we had gained a lot of altitude, tiredness could be seen on the face of our team members.I had to keep everyones morale high, casue tommorrow we cross Stok La at 16,0075ft - the height most of us have never been to. In the evening, we went for an acclimitisation excersise. We climbed a nearby hill to get used to that altitude - thats a very necessary exercise I learnt during my Advance course in Mountaineering.We camped overnight in tents at Yurutse.

Day 3 trek.

The last days trek over the Stok La was a mean straight ascend, no compromise.
The trail to ascend begins towards east. The never ending, zig zag and steep trail takes you to Stok la at (4900 m).Dreams came true. We crossed the pass and walked down until we reached the river flowing from Stok Kangri & finally reached the charming Stok village, which offers panoramic view of the Indus valley. We camped for the night in a beautiful spot on the banks of the stream
and sang our hearts out. A bit sad and happy we all were.

Day 4
Drove back bidding goodbye to the romantic hills, with memories never to forget. Those
few wonderful days of hardships , now seem so sweet and enjoyable. After the basic thanksgiving session , we decide to head back to Delhi from the Srinagar route , which goes thru Zozila pass, Kargil, Drass.Let me tell you i never saw beauty in such a raw form.This route turned out to be better than the Manali route.We all have our tales to tell about this return journey.

As i was heading back home, from my train window, i realised, someone stole my mountains.

we all remained quiet for the whole journey back to Mumbai.

Yes we missed Leh
we missed Stok La
We missed Qayoom saying " sab theek tak hai"
We missed Sharif for his innocence.
We missed Rahul our cook who made us some really delicious food.
We missed our pony caretaker who always smiled and never spoke.
we missed pitching up tents
we missed eating in the dark
we missed those guitar singing sessions
we missed those stupid "cassius' jokes sessions
we missed the early morning natures call sesions
we missed mansoor bhai saying "gai kha jayegi"
we missed yaatra sukkus giggling in tents
we missed bitching in our tents
we miss those small fights
we missed the bhajias, maggi and the camfire
we missed Alisha tumbling down
we missed Meenakshi's "mujhse nahi hoyega re"

yes, we miss something........living

"Traversing through a Life Away From Life” ... The Raireshwar to Mandhardeo Peak Ridge Expedition - DAY 4

2006-02-06T19:16:00.000-08:00

Day 4, Feb. 6th, we proceeded towards Mandhardeo peak which was at a height of 4508 ft. The 6km route from Ambode Khind gradually climbs to a steep hill where the temple of Kalubai Devi is situated. This seems to be a very important pilgrimage site for people from Pune and Satara Districts. Recently on 25th January 2006, around 1 Lakh pilgrims arrived at this site to pay homage to their favorite goddess. Unfortunately there was a stampede and around 300 people died.

We reached the Mandhardeo peak in 1.5 hours and successfully completed our expedition in 4 days as planned.

The journey back to Mumbai was quite comfortable by bus. Soon we will be compiling all the information collected and make a consolidated Report on this expedition, to understand the importance of this old route, the forts and villages on top of it. And moreover to understand the love of the people to still stay on these hills for more than 1000 years.

Team members:
Prateek Deo, Glean Gonsalves.
Date: 3rd Feb to 6th Feb 2006
Total approximate distance of trekking: 45 kms
We crossed 2 passes, 7 hills and 2 forts.

"Traversing through a Life Away From Life” ... The Raireshwar to Mandhardeo Peak Ridge Expedition - DAY 3

2006-02-05T17:35:00.000-08:00

Day 3, 5th Feb, we started early morning to avoid the afternoon sun and ascended the steep hill to reach an amazing plateau with a small beautiful village called Barshe. Barse in Marathi means to have a richer experience, and we really experienced that. The villagers greeted us with cold water and a cup of tea. They were inquisitive about our expedition and with a lot of interest looked at our Google earth satellite maps. Their inquisition towards us never ended and that showed they were well in connection with the modern world.

The route from here is more or less a plateau walk through hill villages of Dwichewadi, Veruli and Someshwarwadi to Ambode Khind pass. We decided to camp at Ambode Khind and study the nearby areas. We could see our destination Mandhardeo Peak and the famous Kalubai Temple from our camp site.

Ambode Khind or pass cuts through this ridge at a height of around 4000 ft ingeniously to connect roads coming from Bhor in the Pune district, to Wai and Mandhardeo. Now there are good tar roads connecting and plying through the ghats. Ambode Khind becomes a strategic point for both the districts.

Team members:
Prateek Deo, Glean Gonsalves.
Date: 3rd Feb to 6th Feb 2006
Total approximate distance of trekking: 45 kms
We crossed 2 passes, 7 hills and 2 forts.

"Traversing through a Life Away From Life” ... The Raireshwar to Mandhardeo Peak Ridge Expedition - DAY 2

2006-02-04T18:35:00.000-08:00

Next day 4th Feb morning, after visiting the temple from the inside, we proceeded towards Kenjalgad fort. This route was from the south-east side of the fort, locally called as Sundara or Shwandara. This route ends with rock steps ingeniously cut out of the mountain, camouflaging it, but sadly, now cemented modern day steps are layered over it.

These steps join the ridge which goes to the Kenjalgad fort. This 4.5 km ridge joins Kenjalgad at a height of 4273ft.After a brief session of rock climbing we reached the top of Kenjalgad from the northern side through rock cut steps. After spending some time on the fort top, we descended to a ridge connecting Kenjalgad from the south-east side.

Ascending and descending for around 2kms, over a lot of lonely hills and amazing landscape, we reached to a Pass on a col called Asre Khind. We were around 3000ft on this pass. We decided to camp here for the night Lot of villagers who came by were surprised to see us and even more surprised to hear our interest in traversing this mountain ridge. I think most of them thought we were crazy carrying 30kg of load on our backs.

We slept watching the stars, the bright moon and the steep hill ascent of around 1000ft which waited for us tomorrow.

Team members:
Prateek Deo, Glean Gonsalves.
Date: 3rd Feb to 6th Feb 2006
Total approximate distance of trekking: 45 kms
We crossed 2 passes, 7 hills and 2 forts.